Optical fibre organizer having fibre storing means

ABSTRACT

An optical fiber organizer for receiving an optical fiber from one direction and storing loops thereof in a plane substantially perpendicular to that direction, which comprises: a substantially cylindrical block having a port running from an end of the cylinder where it is substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder to a side of the cylinder such that a fiber within it is directed around the circumference of the cylinder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an organizer for controlling the bendradius of optical fibres or of an optical fibre cable.

It is frequently necessary in optical fibre networks to alter thedirection of an optical fibre or cable, and due to the delicate natureof optical fibres this must be done in a carefully controlled way. Sucha change of direction may be required where a cable passes through awall or other bulkhead and must be properly aligned before beingdirected to a routing, splicing or splitting organizer. At this point ofchange of direction it may be desirable to store a short length of cableor fibre to aid subsequent splitting, splicing or routing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We have found that an improved organizer can be produced in block form,which may be hollow, having a surface that undergoes the requisitechange of direction.

Thus, the present invention provides an optical fibre organizer forreceiving an optical fibre from one direction and storing loops thereofin a plane substantially perpendicular to that direction whichcomprises;

a substantially cylindrical block having a port running from an end ofthe cylinder where it is substantially parallel to the axis of thecylinder to a side of the cylinder such that a fibre within it isdirected around the circumference of the cylinder.

The port itself need only bring the fibre to the circumference in anappropriate direction, and further means may be provided to ensure thatthe fibre maintains a generally circumferential path.

The organizer may organize one or more fibres, one or more tubes eachcarrying one or more fibres, or one or more optical fibre cables.

The organizer may be mounted on a wall etc. for which purpose it may beprovided with one or more screw holes or other fixing means. Theorganizer will generally be provided within a housing, which may alsoincorporate other organizers whose function is to route individually orin groups various fibres broken out of an optical fibre cable or toaccommodate fibre splices or fibre splitters.

The organizer is preferably of unitary construction, and may be mouldedfrom any suitable plastics material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further illustrated with respect to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an organizer from above;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show two see-through perspective views;

FIGS. 5 A-C show plan views from above and below and a side elevation;

FIG. 6 shows an enclosure housing the organizer;

FIG. 7 shows a route organizer for use with the organizer of theinvention; and

FIG. 8 shows fibre organizer trays for use with the organizer of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The organizer shown in FIG. 1 receives an optical fibre cable 1 from onedirection and stores loops 2 thereof in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to that direction. The organizer comprises a block havinga substantially cylindrical surface 3 and having a port 4 running froman end of the cylinder (hidden from view) where it is substantiallyparallel to the axis of the cylinder to a side of the cylinder 5 wherethe port may be regarding as meeting or breaking into the side of thecylinder. As a result the cable is directed around the circumference ofthe cylinder, and this can be seen to occur from the point marked 5vertically upwards. The port 4 can be seen to curve in two planesbetween the points marked 4 and 5 in FIG. 1. In order for the port tomerge gently with the circumferential wall, it preferably breaks thatwall at an angle to the radius vector of the wall at that portion, i.e.not radially and preferably substantially tangentially.

The port between these two points can also be seen to be open incross-section. This can be of advantage since it allows the cable 1 tobe pushed through the port (or more precisely that part of it that isclosed in cross-section) without the cable bending. When the cable hasbeen pushed through a sufficient distance it can then be bent around thecurved surface of the open part of the port and secured at position 5 bysliding it underneath retaining means 6. Retaining means 6 can thereforebe seen to direct the cable towards a plane perpendicular to the axis ofthe cylinder.

Other retaining means 6a may be provided around the circumferentialsurface 3 to maintain the cable against that surface. Thecircumferential surface may contain one or more recesses 7 for exampleto accommodate a fibre splice or fibre tube joint 2A.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below showing more clearly the portionof port 4 that is substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show various additional views of the organizer.

The wall of the port that directs the fibre should be curved at aminimum bend radius at least equal to the critical bend radius of thefibre. This can eliminate the need for further means to guide the fibreson a chosen, less curved, part of the surface. A wall of the port 4 thatdirects the cable in the desired direction can be seen from thesefigures to be curved, and that curve can be seen to result from aprogressive broadening of the cross-sectional size of the port away fromthe underside of the cylinder.

The block may be of various shapes, and it need not be exactlycylindrical. For example it may be waisted or otherwise have a slightlynon-constant shape or size along its length in order that fibres beretained at a chosen position along its length. The block illustratedhas a cross-sectional shape that is substantially the envelope of twopartially overlapping circles, as can be best seen perhaps from FIGS. 5aand 5b. In this case the port runs from a position within one only ofthe overlapping circles (and preferably substantially abutting the othercircle) and then advances longitudinally along the cylinder whilstrotating around that other circle. Again this can be best seen perhapsfrom FIGS. 5a and 5b. Then, if one of the circles has a radius at leastequal to the critical bend radius of the fibre to be stored, the pathtaken by fibres along port 4 will inevitably be sufficiently large.

FIG. 6 shows an enclosure which may house the organizer of theinvention. The rectangular space above the organizer may house a routingorganizer such as that shown in FIG. 7. Fibres may therefore enter theenclosure through a wall or other bulkhead on which the enclosure ismounted via port 4. The fibres would then be stored around the organizerwhich they would leave vertically upwards as drawn to enter inlet portsof a routing organizer such as one having any one or more of thefeatures illustrated in FIG. 7.

The routing organizer shown in FIG. 7 has a first face partially boundby first (top left as drawn) and second (lower right as drawn) oppositeedge portions, a first face:

1. bearing a plurality of inlet ports 8, 9 arranged along the first edgeportion;

2. bearing an outlet port 10, 11 at each side of the second edgeportion;

3. bearing two organizer drums 13, 14 or other organizing meanspositioned between the first and second edge portions; and

optionally

4. having a through port that extends through it to an opposite face ofthe organizer;

the inlet ports 8, 9 preferably comprising a row of slots or other holesfor receipt of fibre tube terminating devices and a series of curvedwalls 16, 17 (which may be continuous along their length or may comprisea series of posts) for constraining fibres leaving said tubes to aminimum bend radius equal to at least the critical bend radius of thefibre.

The drums 14, 15 are preferably such that a fibre passing between any ofthe walls 16, 17 and the outlet ports 10, 11 is constrained by an outersurface of one or both drums 13, 14 to the required bend radius. Thedrums 13, 14 are preferably hollow allowing a free end of fibre to passfrom one of the ports, generally one of the inlet ports 8, 9, to theinterior of the drums. The fibres will be stored in the drums at aminimum bend radius greater than that at which they suffer permanentdamage.

The through port 12 may be provided to allow, for example, two suchrouting organizers to be placed back-to-back and to allow fibres to passfrom one to the other.

In addition to the routing organizer of FIG. 7, the splice trayorganizer of FIG. 8 may be provided in the upper rectangular portion ofthe enclosure of FIG. 6. Fibres leaving the ports 10, 11 of the routingorganizer are directed to the tray organizer of FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 illustrates a module 30 which may be pre-installed with fibresand which comprises a series of trays 31 hinged to a mounting device 32which is in turn fixed to a base 33. The trays 31 can be seen to havemeans for storing loops of fibres and for securing fibre splices orfibre splitters. This module may be snap-fitted or otherwise attached inthe rectangular space at the top of the enclosure of FIG. 6. Fibresleaving the organizer of the invention and passing via the routingorganizer of FIG. 7 may then be spliced to these splice trays.

For the avoidance of doubt it is noted that the invention providesvarious components, assemblies, systems and methods for organizing,storing and protecting optical fibres and cables. Any of the variouscomponents disclosed can be used with any one or more other suchcomponent.

I claim:
 1. An optical fibre organizer for receiving an optical fibrefrom one direction and storing loops thereof in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to said direction, which comprises: a substantiallycylindrical block having a port running from an end of the cylinderwhere said port is substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder toa side of the cylinder such that said optical fibre within said port isdirected around the circumference of the cylinder.
 2. An organizeraccording to claim 1, in which the port breaks the side of the cylindersubstantially tangentially.
 3. An organizer according to claim 1, inwhich a wall of the port that so directs optical fibre is curved at aminimum bend radius at least equal to the critical bend radius of thefibre.
 4. An organizer according to claim 3, in which the curved wallresults from a progressive broadening of the cross-sectional size of theport away from said end of the cylinder, the port also providing asubstantially straight passage from said end of the cylinder to theopposite end of the cylinder.
 5. An organizer according to claim 1, inwhich the port is open in the cross-section where said port breaks theside of the cylinder.
 6. An organizer according to claim 5, the porthaving at or adjacent the place where said port breaks the side of thecylinder, means for directing the fibre towards a plane perpendicular tothe axis of the cylinder.
 7. An organizer according to claim 1, having arecess in its circumferential surface to accommodate a fibre splice or afibre-tube joint.
 8. An organizer according to claim 1, having means toretain said optical fibre adjacent its circumferential surface.
 9. Anorganizer according to claim 1, in which the cross-sectional shape ofthe cylinder is substantially the envelope of two partially overlappingcircles.
 10. An organizer according to claim 9, in which the port runsfrom a position within one only of the overlapping circles andsubstantially abutting the other circle and advances longitudinallyalong the cylinder whilst rotating around that other circle.
 11. Anorganizer according claim 1, which additionally comprises at least oneorganizer tray fed by fibres leaving the circumferential surface of theorganizer, and mounted on a support substantially parallel to the axisof the cylinder.